This invention relates to automatic measurement technology of electronic machines such as audio machines and setting technology of test data involved in automatic measurement.
Hitherto, an automatic measuring apparatus for conducting a performance inspection of electronic machines such as in-car audio machines, which will be hereinafter referred to as measured objects, has been proposed and used for performance inspection on a manufacturing line, prototype test in a developing process, quality inspection, etc.
Since there are various types of measured objects and measurement items, measurement conditions, etc., vary from one type of measured object to another, configuring an automatic measuring apparatus for each type of measured object is uneconomical and is contrary to automation and labor saving of inspection. Thus, various improvements have been made (for example, (1) automatic measuring apparatus is configured so as to deal with multi-purpose measurement elements by combining a plurality of measurement functions and signal lines in one and (2) to improve saving time and labor of setting a plurality of inspection conditions formerly set by manual operation at the final operation inspection time before shipment, the inspection conditions are previously written into ROM of a control microcomputer contained in an audio machine and setting the inspection conditions on an electronic volume and a display panel is automatically executed by performing predetermined button operation.
In recent years, there has been a general tendency of electronic machines toward multifunctional, high-grade machines having various functions such as audio machines. The electronic machines may be sold to the ultimate consumers as discrete commodity products; however, if the electronic machines are shipped as OEM products as with in-car audio machines, even the same model may often differ in measurement items, measurement conditions, and standard depending on the supplied manufacturer with the products, the destination, etc.
At the developing stage and the quality assurance inspection stage (and the sampling inspection stage on the manufacturing line), hitherto, setting the measurement items, the measurement conditions, and the standard in an automatic measuring apparatus for measuring measured objects has been executed by manual work, and problems of taking time and labor and easily making a mistake are involved (in (2) mentioned above, the inspection conditions are previously written into the ROM of each measured object (audio machine) and thus the configuration cannot cope with the case where the supplied party with the products or the destination is changed or the case where the inspection conditions are not determined at the developing stage).
Hitherto, the input items and the output items (measurement values and determination result) of an automatic measuring apparatus have been displayed on a display panel and if the determination result is xe2x80x9cnot good,xe2x80x9d an alarm or a warning has been used to indicate the xe2x80x9cnot goodxe2x80x9d result. Thus, if the measurement items, the measurement conditions, and the standard differ depending on the supplied manufacturer with the products, the destination, etc., it has been difficult to display the measurement values and the determination result corresponding to the input items (the measurement items, the measurement conditions, and the standard different depending on the supplied manufacturer, the destination, etc.,) in an easy-to-understand format and make a statistical evaluation to carry out the whole evaluation; this is a problem.
If the electronic machine manufacturer of audio machines, etc., has a research laboratory and a manufacturing plant at separate locations and has an oversea affiliated firm, if the results of measurement formerly conducted separately in the research laboratory, the manufacturing plant, the oversea affiliated firm, etc., can be managed in a unified manner and shared among them, for example, by connecting the research laboratory as a server and the manufacturing plant and the oversea affiliated firm through a communication network (for example, the Internet), contributions to development, design, manufacturing, sale, etc., can be expected.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an automatic measuring apparatus and an automatic measurement data processing and control apparatus of electronic machines for making it possible to execute various measurements different in measurement item, measurement condition, standard, etc., on each measured object by simple operation. It is another object of the invention to provide a network system for making it possible to share the measurement result of the automatic measurement value among the research laboratories, the manufacturing plants, the oversea sites, etc., of a manufacturer.
To the end, according to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided an automatic measuring apparatus for giving a test signal to a measured object implemented as an electronic machine and measuring the measured object, the automatic measuring apparatus comprising display control means for displaying test conditions corresponding to a specified measurement category in a predetermined format, test condition selection and setting instruction means for instructing a test condition fitted to the measured object to be selected and set from among a plurality of test conditions displayed by the display control means, selection and setting means for selecting and setting a test condition instructed to be selected and set by the test condition selection and setting instruction means, test data generation means for generating test data based on the test condition set by the selection and setting means, and measurement timing control means for controlling the test data generation means to generate test data and sending the generated test data to test signal generation means.
According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided an automatic measuring apparatus for giving a test signal to a measured object implemented as an electronic machine and measuring the measured object, the automatic measuring apparatus comprising display means for displaying a plurality of selection and setting screens or listing screens represented in predetermined formats, retention and storage means for retaining and storing the formats of the plurality of selection and setting screens or listing screens, display control means for displaying the plurality of selection and setting screens or listing screens stored in the retention and storage means on the display means in a predetermined order, selection and setting means for selecting and setting a test condition for measuring the measured object from the selection and setting screen displayed on the display means by the display control means, test data generation means for generating test data based on the test condition selected and set through the selection and setting means, measurement timing control means for inputting the test data generated by the test data generation means to test signal generation means, test signal generation means for generating a test signal based on the test data input by the measurement timing control means and giving the generated test signal to the measured object, and signal measurement means for measuring a signal output from the measured object to which the test signal is input from the test signal generation means and outputting the measurement result.
In a third aspect of the invention, the automatic measuring apparatus in the first or second aspect of the invention further includes antenna input signal generation means for inputting the test signal generated by the test signal generation means and generating an antenna input signal of the measured object.
According to a fourth aspect of the invention, there is provided a network system comprising a management apparatus comprising a data base and communication control means, a communication network, and a plurality of automatic measuring apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 comprising communication control means for controlling communication with the management apparatus through the network, characterized in that the management apparatus receives measurement results and/or files transmitted through the communication network from the plurality of automatic measuring apparatus and recording them in the database, and that each of the plurality of automatic measuring apparatus can read or download any desired measurement result or file recorded in the data base at any desired timing.
In a fifth aspect of the invention, in the network system in the fourth aspect of the invention, the management apparatus creates or updates list information of the measurement results and files recorded in the database and records the list information in the database, and the automatic measuring apparatus reads the list information and selects the measurement result or file to be read or downloaded.
In a sixth aspect of the invention, the network system in the fourth or fifth aspect of the invention further includes a plurality of terminals each comprising communication control means for controlling communication with the management apparatus, wherein each of the plurality of terminals can read or download any desired measurement result or file recorded in the data base at any desired timing.
According to a seventh aspect of the invention, there is provided an automatic measurement data processing and control apparatus implemented as a computer configured so as to be able to transfer data to and from a measuring instrument for giving a test signal from test signal generation means to a measured object implemented as an electronic machine and measuring the measured object, the automatic measurement data processing and control apparatus comprising display means, first display control means for displaying test conditions corresponding to a measurement category specified for one measured object in a first format, test condition selection and setting instruction means for instructing a test condition fitted to the measured object to be selected and set from among a plurality of test conditions displayed on the display means by the first display control means, selection and setting means for selecting and setting a test condition instructed to be selected and set by the test condition selection and setting instruction means, and test data generation means for generating test data based on the test condition set by the selection and setting means.
In an eighth aspect of the invention, the automatic measurement data processing and control apparatus in the seventh aspect of the invention further includes a plurality of conditions files registering initial values for testing electronic machines by measurement category, and initial value extraction means for extracting the initial value for testing corresponding to the test condition set through the selection and setting means, wherein the test data generation means generates test data based on the initial value for testing extracted by the initial value extraction means.
In a ninth aspect of the invention, the automatic measurement data processing and control apparatus in the seventh or eighth aspect of the invention further includes measurement timing control means for controlling the test data generation means to generate test data and sending the generated test data to the test signal generation means.
In a tenth aspect of the invention, in the automatic measurement data processing and control apparatus in any of the seventh to tenth aspects of the invention, the plurality of test conditions displayed on the display means by the first display control means comprise test conditions defined by a plurality of test items of a plurality of measurement items and the test condition selection and setting instruction means includes first selection and setting means for selecting and setting the current measurement item to be measured from among the plurality of measurement items and second selection and setting means for selecting and setting the current test item to be measured from among the test items of the measurement item selected through the first selection and setting means.
In an eleventh aspect of the invention, the automatic measurement data processing and control apparatus in any of the seventh to tenth aspects of the invention further includes second display control means for displaying measurement category information classifying the measurement conditions of electronic machines on the display means in a second format, and measurement category specification means for specifying the measurement category of one measured object from among pieces of the measurement category information displayed by the second display control means.
In a twelfth aspect of the invention, the automatic measurement data processing and control apparatus in any of the seventh to tenth aspects of the invention further includes condition file retrieval means for retrieving a condition file registering the initial value for testing corresponding to the specified measurement category and retrieval instruction means for giving a retrieval instruction to the condition file retrieval means, wherein the first display control means includes third display control means for displaying the condition file retrieval result of the condition file retrieval means on the display means in a third format when the retrieval instruction means gives a retrieval instruction to the condition file retrieval means.
In a thirteenth aspect of the invention, the automatic measurement data processing and control apparatus in any of the seventh to tenth aspects of the invention further includes fourth display control means for displaying a measurement state on the display means in a fourth format.
In a fourteenth aspect of the invention, the automatic measurement data processing and control apparatus in any of the seventh to tenth aspects of the invention further includes setup value change instruction means for giving an instruction for changing setting of the initial value of the test condition displayed on the display means by the first display control means.
In a fifteenth aspect of the invention, the automatic measurement data processing and control apparatus in the fourteenth aspect of the invention further includes fifth display control means for displaying setting change means of the initial value of the test condition on the display means in a fifth format when an instruction is given through the setup value change instruction means.
In a sixteenth aspect of the invention, the automatic measurement data processing and control apparatus in the fourteenth aspect of the invention further includes sixth display control means for displaying setting change means of standard value on the display means in a sixth format when an instruction is given through the setup value change instruction means.
In a seventeenth aspect of the invention, the automatic measurement data processing and control apparatus in the fourteenth aspect of the invention further includes seventh display control means for displaying setting change means of the initial value of the measurement condition on the display means in a seventh format when an instruction is given through the setup value change instruction means.
In an eighteenth aspect of the invention, the automatic measurement data processing and control apparatus in the fourteenth aspect of the invention further includes eighth display control means for displaying setting change means of any setup value other than the initial value of the test condition, standard value, or the initial value of the measurement condition on the display means in an eighth format when an instruction is given through the setup value change instruction means.
In a nineteenth aspect of the invention, the automatic measurement data processing and control apparatus in any of the first to eighteenth aspects of the invention further includes retention and storage means for retaining and storing the condition file, change condition file creation means, when all or some of the setup values other than the initial values of the test conditions, standard values, or the initial values of the measurement conditions are changed, for creating a new condition file aside from the condition file based on the changed values and each initial value registered in the condition file, and storage control means for retaining and storing the new condition file created by the condition file creation means in the retention and storage means.
In a twentieth aspect of the invention, the automatic measurement data processing and control apparatus in any of the first to eighteenth aspects of the invention further includes retention and storage means for retaining and storing the condition file, master condition file creation means for creating a new condition file when setup values other than the initial values of the test conditions, standard values, or the initial values of the measurement conditions are entered, and storage control means for retaining and storing the new condition file created by the master condition file creation means in the retention and storage means as a master condition file.
According to a twenty-first aspect of the invention, there is provided an automatic measurement data processing and control apparatus implemented as a computer configured so as to be able to transfer data to and from a measuring instrument for giving a test signal from test signal generation means to a measured object implemented as an electronic machine and measuring the measured object, the automatic measurement data processing and control apparatus comprising display means for displaying a plurality of selection and setting screens or listing screens represented in predetermined formats, first retention and storage means for retaining and storing the formats, first display control means for displaying the plurality of selection and setting screens or listing screens on the display means in a predetermined order, selection and setting means for selecting and setting a condition for measuring the measured object from the selection and setting screen displayed on the display means by the first display control means, test data generation means for generating test data based on initial value for testing selected and set through the selection and setting means, and measurement timing control means for inputting the test data generated by the test data generation means to test signal generation means.
In a twenty-second aspect of the invention, the automatic measurement data processing and control apparatus in the twenty-first aspect of the invention further includes a plurality of condition files registering initial values for testing electronic machines by measurement category, second retention and storage means for retaining and storing the condition files, second display control means for displaying information concerning the condition file on the selection and setting screen or the listing screen displayed on the display means by the first display control means, and initial value extraction means for extracting the initial value for testing corresponding to the test condition set through the selection and setting means, wherein the test data generation means generates test data based on the initial value for testing extracted by the initial value extraction means.
In a twenty-third aspect of the invention, in the automatic measurement data processing and control apparatus in the twenty-second aspect of the invention, the plurality of selection and setting screen contain a testing initial value change screen for changing the initial value for testing registered in the condition file, the automatic measurement data processing and control apparatus further including change value input means for changing the initial value for testing when the display control means displays the testing initial value change screen on the display means, change condition file creation means for creating a new condition file when the initial value for testing is changed through the change value input means, and storage control means for retaining and storing the change condition file created by the change condition file creation means in the second retention and storage means.